NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Sport

Football: Hawke's Bay United chin-up to second rung of premiership table

Anendra Singh
By Anendra Singh
Sports editor·Hawkes Bay Today·
15 Dec, 2019 05:06 AM6 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

    Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.

Ihaia Delaney (right) pushes the ball past Waitakere United defender Zac Zoricich as Sho Goto backs up during the premiership match at Park Island, Napier, this afternoon. Photo / Ian Cooper

Ihaia Delaney (right) pushes the ball past Waitakere United defender Zac Zoricich as Sho Goto backs up during the premiership match at Park Island, Napier, this afternoon. Photo / Ian Cooper

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Second on the table, stalemates kicked to the kerbside for now and no one ran out of legs — so you've got to ask what else Hawke's Bay United need as Christmas beckons?

Making sure the effervescence matches the festive champagne well after the Bay franchise team herald in the new year during their sparkling national summer league campaign.

That sort of exhilaration comes on the foundation of the 4-2 victory the Thirsty Whale-sponsored Bay United ground out when they came from behind to overcome Waitakere United in week seven of the premiership in Napier today. READ MORE:
• Football: Wellington Phoenix left frustrated by 10-man Melbourne Victory
• Football: Western Sydney Wanderers coach claims A League 'conspiracy' against his team, following Wellington Phoenix defeat
• Football: Why Lithuania presents a unique challenge for revamped All Whites
• Football: Wellington Phoenix edge Western Sydney Wanderers in A-League clash at Eden Park

The win came on the heels of a Park Island lockout after police subdued an alleged gunman during training on Tuesday night.

"We didn't know too much about it at the time so we ran into the changing room," said Bay striker Ihaia Delaney after a brace of goals that sealed the fate of the visitors who were leading 2-1 at halftime.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"You obviously don't expect that to happen anywhere in New Zealand, really, or anywhere around the world but it's happened and we'll moved forward from that.

Delaney said they had struggled to find the net in the first spell but after the pep talk from co-coaches Chris Greatholder and Bill Robertson at the break they had remained confident.

"Luckily I got two [goals] but it was Josh's second goal that got us back in the game so I knew when we got that it was game over," he said of Englishman Joshua Signey who had levelled at 2-all.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The 20-year-old said the high intensity but frustration of not finishing half chances had led to a lower tempo in the second half in the balmy conditions.

"In the second half we started moving for each other a little bit more so things started to open up a little bit more," he said, attributing the third goal to a great collective effort.

Discover more

Sport

Bay United turn on heat but Lily Whites refuse to wilt

01 Dec 05:50 AM
Sport

Southern Utd censure will add zest to clash with Bay Utd

05 Dec 11:43 PM
Sport

Robertson puts Southern Utd stalemate in perspective

07 Dec 11:55 PM
Sport

Surreal as Bay United scrambled for cover at Park Island

13 Dec 12:22 AM

A few players had started dropping off in the last five minutes but Delaney said their fitness had trumped the visitors.

Bay United midfielder Gavin Hoy has too much gas for Waitakere United player Gerard Garriga Gibert as Ihaia Delaney backs up at Park Island, Napier, this afternoon. Photo / Ian Cooper
Bay United midfielder Gavin Hoy has too much gas for Waitakere United player Gerard Garriga Gibert as Ihaia Delaney backs up at Park Island, Napier, this afternoon. Photo / Ian Cooper

Taking maximum points off the Hamilton Wanderers on the road in a 4pm televised kick off next Sunday was important if they wanted to win the premiership, he said.

The Bay had dominated from the kick off when Dylan Sacramento won a challenge and outpaced Luke Searle as the last man on defence but the centre back committed a professional foul, picking up a yellow card from referee Nick Waldron for grabbing the Canadian from behind in the eighth minute.

Waitakere goalkeeper Nicholas Draper did well to parry centre back Robertson's header from the ensuing free kick.

Cruelly it was Waitakere going up 1-0 against the run of play after a cross from the left flank ricocheted off the foot of defender Fergus Neil to roll into the net past goalkeeper Ruben Parker Hanks on the inside upright although midfielder Sam Burfoot was getting the bear hugs and high fives in the 13th minute.

Waitakere right back Robert Tipelu and Delaney had a tussle on the right flank but Waldron gave a free kick to the visitors in the 20th minute. Five minutes later he had a word with Robertson and Waitakere skipper Burfoot as the physicality stakes went up.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The 1-all equaliser came from Ahinga Selemani after Jorge Akers worked the ball in from the left flank but when a defender took the punch out of the left wing back's finish, the Canadian-born American striker pounced on the deflection to drill it into the net in the 30th minute.

The jeering and booing set in from the Bluewater Stadium faithful as Waldron made a rash of calls against Bay United.

From one such free kick, Burfoot curled the ball over the wall to clip the crossbar with skipper Hanks well beaten in the 35th minute.

Again the home crowd was stunned into silence when Lachlan McIsaac adroitly rose above the Bay defence to nod the ball into the net following a cross from the right flank for a 2-1 lead two minutes into added time.

The second half resumed with both sides showing intent but lacking finishing touches.
Waldron copped more flak, taking a mocking clap for awarding the hosts a free kick in the 63rd minute.

Signey's 2-all equaliser came from a close-range poke after some needle work from Sacramento who had created a pin-ball effect in the box in the 68th minute.

Delaney nudged Bay United 3-2 up despite an errant foot getting in the way after Selemani had bobbed and weaved his way into the don't-mess area of the box in the 76th minute.

Keeper Draper kept Waitakere within striking distance a few minutes later when he parried and then threw his body on the line to deny Selemani.

But Delaney wasn't done, taking his time inside the box to find his composure to claim a brace from about 15m out in the 84th minute.

He had a golden opportunity to claim a hat-trick a few minutes later from a through ball but had hesitated, enabling two defenders to shut him down in the box.

Bay United midfielder Gavin Hoy (facing camera) hugs Ihaia Delaney after the latter scored a brace as player/coach Bill Robertson (left) and centreback Fergus Neil celebrate. Photo / Ian Cooper
Bay United midfielder Gavin Hoy (facing camera) hugs Ihaia Delaney after the latter scored a brace as player/coach Bill Robertson (left) and centreback Fergus Neil celebrate. Photo / Ian Cooper

Waitakere's body language wasn't good but they did well to stage another couple of waves of attack in the ref's time.

Burfoot bemoaned the lack of a physiotherapist on their bench.

"Players like me need a lot of work done on them to get through a game even before the game," said the 25-year-old England-born player who revealed he was "riddled with problems".

Burfoot felt the turning point came at the 2-all mark.

"The ball bobbled up and hit Robbo [Robertson] in the hand so I don't how the ref had missed that because it was a clear penalty to us and we go 3-2 up from that because the game changes," he said but lauded his charges for showing character and tenacity.

Burfoot said Waitakere's average age was 21 so playing with intensity for 90-plus minutes wasn't a given but they had proven a few critics wrong as underdogs.

Save

    Share this article

    Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.

Latest from Sport

Sport

Red Bull parts ways with longtime F1 boss Christian Horner

09 Jul 10:00 AM
League

Against the odds: Maroons triumph in epic State of Origin decider

09 Jul 09:30 AM
Racing

Special meeting crucial to saving harness racing in Auckland

09 Jul 06:17 AM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Sport

Red Bull parts ways with longtime F1 boss Christian Horner

Red Bull parts ways with longtime F1 boss Christian Horner

09 Jul 10:00 AM

Horner led Red Bull to eight drivers' and six constructors' championships.

Against the odds: Maroons triumph in epic State of Origin decider

Against the odds: Maroons triumph in epic State of Origin decider

09 Jul 09:30 AM
Special meeting crucial to saving harness racing in Auckland

Special meeting crucial to saving harness racing in Auckland

09 Jul 06:17 AM
'Confident in his ability': Webster backs Boyd to fill Metcalf void

'Confident in his ability': Webster backs Boyd to fill Metcalf void

09 Jul 06:00 AM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP